Apparatus using super-heated vapor for drying solvent-treated tire cord fabric

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for drying tire cord fabric dipped in a liquid coating containing a vaporizable solvent. The drying chamber of the apparatus includes a boiling sump for filling the chamber with solvent vapor, and a plurality of vertically elongated plenums mounted in side-by-side relation, each plenum having a number of horizontally elongated nozzles in vertically spaced relation. The tire cord fabric is passed adjacent the nozzles and super-heated solvent vapor is forced through the nozzles against the moving fabric to flash off or vaporize the solvent carried by the fabric, thereby drying the fabric.

United States Patent Griffin et al.

1451 Sept. 30, 1975 APPARATUS USING SUPER-HEATED VAPOR FOR DRYINGSOLVENT-TREATED TIRE CORD FABRIC Inventors: Theodore F. Griffin,Barberton;

Edward E. Hunter, Akron; Grover W. Rye, Cuyahoga Falls, all of Ohio TheGoodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio Filed: Apr. 25, 1974 Appl.No.: 463,956

[73] Assignee:

US. Cl. 118/48; 118/73; 118/325;

118/61 Int. Cl. BOSB 17/00 Field of Search 118/48, 61, 73, 314, 325

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1971 Walles 118/48 2/1971Mackerael et al. 118/48 Surpenant 118/48 Combe et al. 1 18/48 PrimarExaminerMervin Stein Assistant EmminerSteven Hawkins Attorney, Agent, orFirmF. W. Brunner; H. E. Hummer 7 1 ABSTRACT An apparatus for dryingtire cord fabric clipped in a liquid coating containing a vaporizablesolvent. The drying chamber of the apparatus includes a boiling sump forfilling the chamber with solvent vapor, and a plurality of verticallyelongated plenums mounted in side-by-side relation, each plenum having anumber of horizontally elongated nozzles in vertically spaced relation.The tire cord fabric is passed adjacent the nozzles and super-heatedsolvent vapor is forced through the nozzles against the moving fabric toflash off or vaporize the solvent carried by the fabric, thereby dryingthe fabric.

19 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f23,908,585 H FIG. 2

APPARATUS USING SUPER-HEATED VAPOR FOR DRYING SOLVENT-TREATED TIRE CORDFABRIC BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is particularly wellsuited for use in treating tire cord fabric, especially fabric havingwarp cords composed of nylon, polyester, or metal. It is desirablecoating such tire cords with a substance or agent which promotes thebond between the cords and rubber material used in the production oftires. One such method advantageously employs a liquid solvent as acarrier for bringing the bonding agent into contact with the warp cords.This particular method has never been used to a great extent in thepast, because of the high cost of the solvent and the inability torecapture the solvent after deposition of the agent on the warp cords.In some known processes, the tire cord fabric is dipped in a liquidmixture of solvent and agent and then passed into a chamber, filled withsolvent vapor, where the fabric contacts hot cans or heated rollers forvaporizing the solvent, carried by the fabric, to dry the fabric. Thevaporized solvent is then removed and reconditioned for reuse in theprocess. Impurities in the solvent mixture react unfavorably when thefabric contacts the hot cans, causing undesirable deposits on the hotcans, necessitating frequent stoppage of the process to clean or replacethe contaminated hot cans.

Other methods, more suitable for treating tire cord fabric on aproduction basis, employ super-heated solvent vapor, rather than hotcans, for contacting the fabric to heat and evaporate the solvent. Ithas been found that using the latter method increases the rate at whichthe fabric can be processed which, from an economical standpoint, isvery important. Although the use of super-heated solvent vapor producesbeneficial results, a highly efficient apparatus for treating the fabricand recovering solvent vapor has not been found. The invention isdirected to providing such an apparatus Briefly stated, the invention isin an apparatus for treating tire cord fabric. Means are provided forcoating the tire cord fabric with a liquid coating comprising a mixtureof an agent which promotes the bond between the warp cords of the fabricand rubber material used in the production of tires, and a vaporizablesolvent which is a carrier of the agent. A drying chamber is suppliedadjacent the'fabric coating means and is sealed from the ambientatmosphere and said means. The drying chamber has inlet and outletopenings through which the tire cord fabric passes as it moves into andout of the drying chamber. A condenser is disposed adjacent each of theopenings for condensing excess solvent vapor in the drying chamber.Means are provided for filling the drying chamber with a vapor of asolvent similar to the solvent of the mixture. A plurality of verticallyelongated plenums are disposed sideby-side in the drying chamber, and anumber of vertically spaced nozzles extend from each of the plenums fordirecting superheated vapor of a solvent, similar to the solvent of themixture, against tire cord fabric guided past the nozzles. Means areprovided for continually removing solvent as a vapor from the dryingchamber, and superheating the removed solvent vapor for subsequentpassage through the nozzles. Also provided are means for removing thecondensed solvent vapor from the drying chamber for reconditioning andreuse in the process, such reconditioning including separating condensedsolvent from impurities, such as water, and reusing the purified solventin a new mixture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The following description of the inventionwill be better understood by having reference to the annexed drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an apparatus made in accordance with theinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a section of the apparatus viewed from the line 22 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring generally to the drawing, thereis shown an apparatus 5 for treating tire cord fabric 6 with a materialor agent for increasing or promoting the bond between the warp cords ofthe fabric 6 and rubber material used in the production of tires. Thetire cord fabric 6 is taken from the ambient atmosphere and moveddownwardly through an inlet 7 into a long narrow entry compartment 8.The fabric 6 passes through an appropriate flap seal 9 which is providedin the inlet 7 for sealing the entry compartment 8 from the ambientatmosphere.

The tire cord fabric 6 continues downwardly into an enclosed chamber 10which contains a dip tank 11 filled with a liquid coating 12 composed ofa mixture of the agent and any suitable, chemically compatible solventwhich, when vaporized, is preferably heavier than air. The dip chamber10 abuts the entry compartment 8 and is provided with an entranceopening 13 through which the fabric 6 moves from the entry compartment 8into the adjacent dip chamber 10. An exit opening 14 is disposed in thedip chamber 10 in spaced relation from the entrance opening 13. Theentrance and exit openings 13 and 14 are also provided with suitableseals 15 for sealing the dip chamber 10 from the ambient atmosphere andadjacent compartments.

A scraper blade assembly 16, including a pair of similar wiper blades 17for compressibly engaging the fabric 6, is provided between the dip tank11 and exit opening 14 for removing excess liquid coating 12 from thefabric 6 shortly after it leaves the dip tank 11. An applicator roll 18is rotatably mounted in the dip tank 11 and directs the fabric 6 intothe liquid coating 12.

The liquid-coated fabric 6 moves from the chamber 10 upwardly through asecondary compartment 19 which is also isolated or sealed from theambient atmosphere or adjacent processing chambers. The secondarycompartment 19 is sufficiently long, giving the liquid coating 12 timeto set up on the fabric 6. The fabric 6 passes over a pair of headpulleys or rollers 20 into the main processing chamber 23 where thefabric 6 is heated and dried.

The drying chamber 23, as best seen in FIG. 1, has a greater heightmeasured vertically than a width measured horizontally. Moreover, theupper portion of the drying chamber 23 is generally U-shaped, having apair of upstanding chimneys which form elongated, restricted throatsections 24 and 25. The throat sections 24 and 25 are provided withinlet and outlet openings 26 and 27 through which the fabric 6 passes asit moves into and out of the drying chamber 23. A seal 28 is provided ineach of the openings 26 and 27 for sealing the drying chamber 23 fromthe ambient atmosphere and adjacent compartments. The seals 28 have atwo-fold purpose; namely, to keep air out of the drying chamber 23 andprevent the passage of solvent vapor from the drying chamber 23.

A condenser 29 is mounted in each of the chimneys 24 and 25 forcondensing solvent vapor accumulating near the opnings 26 and 27 toprevent the escape of solvent vapor from the drying chamber 23. Each ofthe condensers 29 comprises two sets A and B of plate coils C, betweenwhich the fabric 6 is guided. Each of the sets A and B includes, in thisembodiment, three separate plate coils C which are vertically mounted inparallel relation such that they laterally fill the chimneys 24 and 25to more effectively remove excess solvent vapor. A discharge pipeassembly 30 is associated with each set A and B of condensers 29 forreceiving condensed solvent vapor and carrying it from the dryingchamber 23 to a remote point for reconditioning and recycling. A numberof strategically located baffles b are positioned below each of thecondensers 29 to reduce the rate at which solvent vapor flows throughthe condensers 29 to eliminate possible turbulence in the flow ofsolvent vapor, such that the vapor will contact the condensers 29 moreintimately, producing more effective condensation of the vapor in thechimneys 24 and 25.

A boiling sump 31, filled with liquid solvent 32 is provided adjacentthe bottom 33 of the drying chamber 23 in spaced relation from the inletand outlet openings 26 and 27 which are located in the top 34 of thedrying chamber 23. The liquid solvent 32 in the boiling sump 31 is thesame as that used in the liquid coating 12. Any suitable means are usedfor heating the liquid solvent 32 in the boiling sump 31 to atemperature sufficient to vaporize the solvent 32 and fill the dryingchamber 23 with solvent vapor to eliminate any non-condensable gas, suchas air, in the drying chamber 23.

A plurality of vertically elongated heat plenums 35-39 are disposedside-by-side in the drying chamber 23. Each of the plenums 35-39 arepreferably wider than the corresponding width of the fabric 6. Theadjacent opposing faces and 41 of plenums 35 and 36, faces 42 and 43 ofplenums 36 and 37, faces 44 and 45 of plenums 37 and 38, and faces 46and 47 of plenums 38 and 39, are each provided with a number of nozzles48 for directing superheated solvent vapor against the fabric 6 movingbetween the plenums 35-39 and past the nozzles 48. The fabric 6 isdirected past the nozzles and between adjacent plenums 3539 by a numberof strategically located rollers 49.

The oppositely faced nozzles 48 of adjacent plenums, as best seen inFIG. 1, are vertically staggered and not directly across from eachother. The nozzles 48 are preferably similar in design and formed byhorizontally disposed slots or openings 50 which are at leastcoextensive with the width of the fabric 6 being treated. Deflectors 51extend from opposing sides of each of the nozzle openings 50 and channelthe streams of superheated solvent vapor against the fabric 6 movingbetween the plenums 35-39.

A portion of the solvent vapor in the drying chamber 23, is forced bystrategically located highpowered fans through heat exchangers 52 and 53(FIG. 2) which are located adjacent the drying chamber 23 and coupled tothe plenums 3539. The heat exchangers 52 and 53 are each provided withsteam coils 54 for superheating the vaporized solvent to about 250F. forcirculation to the plenums 3539. Thus, solvent is continually removedfrom the drying chamber 23 as a vapor which is immediatcly superheatedand recirculated to the drying chamber 23 for contacting fabric 6 movingthrough the drying chamber 23. This produces a wellbalanced system inwhich the processing conditions within the drying chamber 23 are easilymaintained, since all superheated solvent vapor used in the treatment ofthe fabric 6 is formed from solvent vapor already in the drying chamber23.

The superheated solvent vapor impinges against the fabric 6 and flashesoff or evaporates solvent carrier on the fabric 6, whereby the fabric isdried and the bonding agent deposited on the fabric. The dried fabric 6then moves from the drying chamber 23 through the fabric outlet 27 intoan adjacent discharge compartment 55 which is also sealed from theambient atmosphere and drying chamber 23. The discharge compartment 55is provided with a discharge opening 56 and seal 57 through which thefabric 6 passes as it moves into the ambient atmosphere for winding on astandard take-up device, or into other chambers for further treatment.

The solvent vapor, condensed by the condensers 29, is removed from thedrying chamber 23 through the discharge pipe assemblies 30 to aconventional separator where the solvent is separated from impurities,such as water. The purified solvent is then piped to a storage tank forfuture use in a new mixture of liquid coating, or in the boiling sump31.

Thus, there is provided an apparatus which is especially suitable forusing a solvent in a process for treating the warp cords of tire cordfabric with a bonding agent. The nozzles of the different plenums are inclose proximity to the moving fabric, such that the streams ofsuperheated solvent vapor pouring from the nozzles, rapidly flash offthe solvent to dry the fabric. The apparatus employs a number of heatingplenums in which different processing conditions can be created to varythe treatment of the fabric as it passes adjacent the openings of thenozzles extending from the plenums. Moreover, the drying chamber of theapparatus is designed such that the highly pressurized superheatedsolvent vapor pouring from the nozzles, is allowed to expand freelydrying the enlarged upper portion 58 of the drying chamber 23. This hasa muffling or baffling effect on the streams of vapor which can causeunwanted currents which, in turn, can sweep solvent vapor past thecondensers 29 without being condensed. The movement of solvent vaporthrough the condensers is also slowed appreciably as the solvent vaporcontacts the baffles in the chimneys or throat sections 24 and 25 whichare small in relation to the enlarged drying or expansion chamber 23 andremove the condensers 29 out of the general flow pattern of the solventvapor in the dryingn chamber 23. The configuration of the drying chamberand the particular location of the condensers 29 help in recovering agreater amount of solvent which, because of its cost, is of primeimportance.

What is claimed is: What I. An apparatus for treating tire cord fabric,comprising in combination:

a. means for coating tire cord fabric with a liquid mixture of an agentfor promoting the bond between warp tire cords of the fabric and rubbermaterial used in the production of tires, and a solvent which isvaporizable, chemically compatible with the agent, and a carrier of theagent;

b. a chamber sealed from the means for coating the fabric and theambient atmosphere;

0. means for guiding the fabric successively through the means forcoating the fabric and the chamber;

d. means for filling the chamber with vapor of a solvent which issimilar to the solvent of the mixture;

and

e. means for contacting the fabric with superheated vapor of a solventwhich is similar to the solvent of the mixture, to evaporate solventcarrier on the fabric, said means including:

I. means for continually removing solvent as a vapor from the chamber,and

11. means for superheating the removed solvent vapor for recirculationto the chamber and contact with the fabric.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes:

f. an inlet and outlet through which fabric passes into and out of thechamber, the inlet and outlet being vertically spaced above the meansfor contacting the fabric with superheated vapor; and

g. means adjacent the inlet and outlet for condensing solvent vaporaccumulating near the inlet and outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for contacting the fabricwith superheated vapor also includes:

III. a plurality of elongated nozzles vertically spaced in the chamberfor directing streams of superheated solvent vapor against fabric movingpast the nozzles, the nozzles being at least coextensive with thewidthof the fabric and angularly disposed to the direction in which thefabric moves past the nozzles.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a plurality of adjacent nozzles arevertically staggered adjacent oppos ing faces of fabric moving past thenozzles, such that alternate streams of superheated solvent vaporpouring from said plurality of nozzles, contact opposing faces of thefabric.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, which includes a plurality of verticallyelongated plenums disposed side-byside in the chamber, adjacent plenumshaving confronting faces from which the nozzles extend.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes means for continuallyremoving solvent as a condensed vapor from the chamber, means forseparating solvent from impurities in the condensed solvent vapor, andmeans for recycling at least a portion of the separated solvent in amixture of solvent and bonding agent.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes means for removing excessliquid coating from the fabric, prior to guiding the fabric into thechamber.

8. An apparatus for treating tire cord fabric, compris ing incombination:

a. means for coating tire cord fabric with a liquid mixture of an agentfor promoting the bond between warp tire cords of the fabric and rubbermaterial used in the production of tires, and a solvent which isvaporizable, chemically compatible with the agent, and a carrier of theagent;

b. a chamber sealed from the means for coating the fabric and theambient atmosphere;

0. means for guiding the fabric successively through the means forcoating the fabric and the chamber;

d. means for filling the chamber with vapor of a solvent which issimilar to the solvent of the mixture; and

e. means for contacting the fabric with superheated vapor of a solventwhich is similar to the solvent of the mixture, to evaporate solventcarrier on the fabric, said means including:

l. a plurality of elongated nozzles vertically spaced in the chamber fordirecting streams of superheated solvent vapor against fabric movingpast the nozzles, the nozzles being at least coextensive with the widthof the fabric and angularly disposed to the direction in which thefabric moves past the nozzles; and

II. means for superheating vapor of a solvent which is similar to thesolvent of the mixture, for subsequent circulation to the nozzles.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a plurality of adjacent nozzles arevertically staggered adjacent opposing faces of fabric moving past thenozzles, such that alternate streams of superheated solvent vaporpouring from said plurality of nozzles, contact opposing faces of thefabric.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, which includes:

f. an inlet and outlet through which fabric passes into and out of thechamber, the inlet and outlet being vertically spaced above the meansfor contacting the fabric with superheated vapor; and

g. means adjacent the inlet and outlet for condensing solvent vaporaccumulating near the inlet and outlet.

ll. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means (II) for superheatingsolvent vapor includes means for continually removing solvent as a vaporfrom the chamber and means for superheating the removed solvent vaporfor subsequent circulation to the nozzles.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, which includes means for continuallyremoving solvent as a condensed vapor from the chamber, and means forseparating solvent from impurities in the condensed solvent vapor, andmeans for recycling at least a portion of the separated solvent in amixture of solvent and bonding agent.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, which includes a plurality of verticallyelongated plenums disposed side-byside in the chamber, adjacent plenumshaving confronting faces from which the nozzles extend.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, which includes means for removing excessliquid coating from the fabric, prior to guiding the fabric into thechamber.

15. An apparatus for treating tire cord fabric, comprising incombination:

a. means for coating tire cord fabric with a liquid mixture of an agentfor promoting the bond between warp tire cords of the fabric and rubbermaterial used in the production of tires, and a solvent which isvaporizable, chemically compatible with the agent, and a carrier of theagent;

b. a chamber sealed from the ambient atmosphere and means for coatingthe fabric;

c. means for guiding the fabric successively through the means forcoating the fabric and the chamber;

(1. means for filling the chamber with vapor of a solvent which issimilar to the solvent of the mixture;

e. a plurality of vertically elongated plenums disposed side-by-side inthe chamber, adjacent plenums having confronting faces which are inclose proximity;

f. a plurality of elongated nozzles extending from the means forcontinually removing solvent as a vapor from the chamber;

. means for superheating only the solvent vapor removed from thechamber;

'. means for circulating the superheated solvent vapor, under pressure,into the plenums and through the nozzles for impingement against fabricmoving between the confronting faces of the plenums;

k. an inlet and outlet disposed in the chamber, and

through which the fabric passes as it moves into and out of the chamber;and

m. means adjacent the inlet and outlet for condensing solvent vaporaccumulating near the inlet and outlet.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein adjacent nozzles on theconfronting faces of adjacent plenums are vertically staggered andunopposed to each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the chamber includes a fluidexpansion area vertically above the plenums, and a pair of chimneysextending in vertical relation above the expansion area, the inlet andoutlet being disposed in the chimneys in farthest spaced relation fromthe expansion area.

18.The apparatus of claim 17, which includes means for removing 18. Thesolvent vapor from the chamber, means for separating solvent fromimpurities in the condensed solvent vapor, and means for recycling atleast a portion of the separated solvent in a mixture of solvent andbonding agent.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, which includes means for removing excessliquid coating from the fabric,

prior to guiding the fabric into the chamber.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3, 908,585' DATED 1 September 30, 1975' I INVENTOR(S) Theodore F Griffin,Edward E Hunter, Grover W Rye It is certified that error appears in theabove identitied patent and that said Letters Patent t are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column line R-t, the word "drying should be in Column 8; line 11, thewords '18. The should be condensed Signed and Scaled this thirtieth Dayof Devember 1975 [SEAL] A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. IAISllAI-I. DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner a!hunts and Trademarks

1. MEANS FOR CONTINUALLY REMOVING SOLVENT AS A VAPOR FROM THE CHAMBER,AND
 1. AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING TIRE CORD FABRIC, COMPRISING INCOMBINATION: A. MEANS FOR COATING TIRE CORD FABRIC WITH A LIQUID MIXTUREOF AN AGENT FOR PROMOTING THE BOND BETWEEN WRAP TIRE CORDS OF THE FABRICAND RUBBER MATERIAL USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF TIRES, AND A SOLVENT WHICHIS VAPORIZABLE, CHEMICALLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE AGENT, AND A CARRIER OFTHE AGENT, B. A CHAMBER SEALED FROM THE MEANS FOR COATING THE FABRIC ANDTHE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE, C. MEANS FOR GUIDING THE FABRIC SUCCESSIVELYTHROUGH THE MEANS FOR COATING THE FABRIC AND THE CHAMBER, D. MEANS FORFILLING THE CHAMBER WITH VAPOR OF A SOLVENT WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THESOLVENT OF THE MIXTURE, AND E. MEANS FOR CONTACTING THE FABRIC WITHSUPERHEATED VAPOR OF A SOLVENT WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE SOLVENT OF THEMIXTURE, TO EVAPORATE SOLVENT CARRIER ON THE FABRIC, SAID MEANSINCLUDING:
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes: f. an inlet andoutlet through which fabric passes into and out of the chamber, theinlet and outlet being vertically spaced above the means for contactingthe fabric with superheated vapor; and g. means adjacent the inlet andoutlet for condensing solvent vapor accumulating near the inlet andoutlet.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for contactingthe fabric with superheated vapor also includes: III. A plurality ofelongated nozzles vertically spaced in the chamber for directing streamsof superheated solvent vapor against fabric moving past the nozzles, thenozzles being at least coextensive with the width of the fabric andangularly disposed to the direction in which the fabric moves past thenozzles.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a plurality of adjacentnozzles are vertically staggered adjacent opposing faces of fabricmoving past the nozzles, such that alternate streams of superheatedsolvent vapor pouring from said plurality of nozzles, contact opposingfaces of the fabric.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, which includes aplurality of vertically elongated plenums disposed side-by-side in thechamber, adjacent plenums having confronting faces from which thenozzles extend.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes means forcontinually removing solvent as a condensed vapor from the chamber,means for separating solvent from impurities in the condensed solventvapor, and means for recycling at least a portion of the separatedsolvent in a mixture of solvent and bonding agent.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, which includes means for removing excess liquid coating fromthe fabric, prior to guiding the fabric into the chamber.
 8. Anapparatus for treating tire cord fabric, comprising in combination: a.means for coating tire cord fabric with a liquid mixture of an agent forpromoting the bond between warp tire cords of the fabric and rubbermaterial used in the production of tires, and a solvent which isvaporizable, chemically compatible with the agent, and a carrier of theagent; b. a chamber sealed from the means for coating the fabric and theambient atmosphere; c. means for guiding the fabric successively throughthe means for coating the fabric and the chamber; d. means for fillingthe chamber with vapor of a solvent which is similar to the solvent ofthe mixture; and e. means for contacting the fabric with superheatedvapor of a solvent which is similar to the solvent of the mixture, toevaporate solvent carrier on the fabric, said means including: I. aplurality of elongated nozzles vertically spaced in the chamber fordirecting streams of superheated solvent vapor against fabric movingpast the nozzles, the nozzles being at least coextensive with the widthof the fabric and angularly disposed to the direction in which thefabric moves past the nozzles; and II. means for superheating vapor of asolvent which is similar to the solvent of the mixture, for subsequentcirculation to the nozzles.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein aplurality of adjacent nozzles are vertically staggered adjacent opposingfaces of fabric moving past the nozzles, such that alternate streams ofsuperheated solvent vapor pouring from said plurality of nozzles,contact opposing faces of the fabric.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8,which includes: f. an inlet and outlet through which fabric passes intoand out of the chamber, the inlet and outlet being vertically spacedabove the means for contacting the fabric with superheated vapor; and g.means adjacent the inlet and outlet for condensing solvent vaporaccumulating near the inlet and outlet.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the means (II) for superheating solvent vapor includes means forcontinually removing solvent as a vapor from the chamber and means forsuperheating the removed solvent vapor for subsequent circulation to thenozzles.
 11. MEANS FOR SUPERHEATING THE REMOVED SOLVENT VAPOR FORRECIRCULATION TO THE CHAMBER AND CONTACT WITH THE FABRIC.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 8, which includes means for continually removingsolvent as a condensed vapor from the chamber, and means for separatingsolvent from impurities in the condensed solvent vapor, and means forrecycling at least a portion of the separated solvent in a mixture ofsolvent and bonding agent.
 13. The apparatus of claim 8, which includesa plurality of vertically elongated plenums disposed side-by-side in thechamber, adjacent plenums having confronting faces from which thenozzles extend.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8, which includes means forremoving excess liquid coating from the fabric, prior to guiding thefabric into the chamber.
 15. An apparatus for treating tire cord fabric,comprising in combination: a. means for coating tire cord fabric with aliquid mixture of an agent for promoting the bond between warp tirecords of the fabric and rubber material used in the production of tires,and a solvent which is vaporizable, chemically compatible with theagent, and a carrier of the agent; b. a chamber sealed from the ambientatmosphere and means for coating the fabric; c. means for guiding thefabric successively through the means for coating the fabric and thechamber; d. means for filling the chamber with vapor of a solvent whichis similar to the solvent of the mixture; e. a plurality of verticallyelongated plenums disposed side-by-side in the chamber, adjacent plenumshaving confronting faces which are in close proximity; f. a plurality ofelongated nozzles extending from the plenums for directing streams ofsuperheated solvent vapor against fabric moving past the nozzles, thenozzles being at least coextensive with the width of the fabric andvertically spaced on the confronting faces of the plenums; g. means forcontinually removing solvent as a vapor from the chamber; h. means forsuperheating only the solvent vapor removed from the chamber; j. meansfor circulating the superheated solvent vapor, under pressure, into theplenums and through the nozzles for impingement against fabric movingbetween the confronting faces of the plenums; k. an inlet and outletdisposed in the chamber, and through which the fabric passes as it movesinto and out of the chamber; and m. means adjacent the inlet and outletfor condensing solvent vapor accumulating near the inlet and outlet. 16.The apparatus of claim 15, wherein adjacent nozzles on the confrontingfaces of adjacent plenums are vertically staggered and unopposed to eachother.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the chamber includes afluid expansion area vertically above the plenums, and a pair ofchimneys extending in vertical relation above the expansion area, theinlet and outlet being disposed in the chimneys in farthest spacedrelation from the expansion area. 18.The apparatus of claim 17, whichincludes means for removing
 18. The solvent vapor from the chamber,means for separating solvent from impurities in the condensed solventvapor, and means for recycling at least a portion of the separatedsolvent in a mixture of solvent and bonding agent.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 18, which includes means for removing excess liquid coating fromthe fabric, prior to guiding the fabric into the chamber.